How to be Productive on Monday mornings at 8am

Monday mornings starting foggy? Do you take a couple of hours before you can get anything done? You might grab a cup of coffee (I sure do), but don’t just count on the caffeine to get going. Try these tips for perking up.

1. Exercise. Getting your heart rate up also means increased blood flow to the rest of your body (including your brain). It also pops your metabolism.

2. Eat a healthy breakfast. Fruits and fiber go a long way. Avoid heavy, greasy food (which often makes you feel sleepy).

3. Play a game. Not just any game, though – one that forces you to start thinking and concentrating right away. I like to do a Sudoku or three to get my mental muscles pumped. You might also try crossword puzzles or Yahoo! TextTwist (Windows only, unfortunately).

4. Start with a clean slate and a schedule. Review your agenda and put together your daily to do list. You’ll be able to concentrate on what you have to do rather than the clutter around you.

5. Start with small stuff. With your new to do list, get the distractions out of the way. I usually have a handful of no-brainer tasks to do – updates, quick emails, scheduling, etc. Knock those out and you’ll feel like you have momentum, as well as give yourself room to focus on the bigger things.

Try these out and your mornings can go from zero to productive in about fifteen minutes.